The invention relates to a vertically adjustable roll bar for a motor vehicle.
From German Patent Document 1 555 955, a roll bar for a motor vehicle is known, the side arms of which are displaceably guided within two holding tubes supported on the frame of a vehicle bottom. These two holding tubes are connected to one another close to the vehicle bottom by a connecting rod extending across the vehicle width, which connecting rod is configured as a cross-strut for the holding tubes. In addition, support rods are also provided, which are mounted crosswise, having the upper ends pivotably mounted on the roll bar and having the lower ends slidingly guided on the connecting rod. When the roll bar is fully extended, these support rods engage into notches in the connecting rod and are intended additionally to strengthen the roll bar against lateral loads.
Vehicles which are fitted with a roll bar are generally designed without a fixed roof. Since there is therefore no element present to stabilize the body, the bottom of the vehicle is increasingly susceptible, when mounting a curb for example, to distortions. Consequently, even the holding tubes for the roll bar can be forced at their free end out of their original direction of extension and, above all, out of their parallel arrangement, as a result of which an extending movement of the roll bar is no longer possible at all or is only possible against a high resistance within the runners of the holding tubes. The support rods are only able, by locking, to provide a force to counteract this movement of the receiving tubes, if the roll bar is extended.
An object of the invention is to facilitate the fitting of an anti-roll device into a motor vehicle and to enable fitting at a later time.
This object is achieved by providing an arrangement wherein the holding tubes are supplemented by another transverse-running connecting element to form a rigid guide frame, which rigid guide frame is rectangularly closed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and wherein a thrust element and a locking mechanism for the roll bar is secured to the guide frame in the form of an assembly unit, and wherein this guide frame exhibits connecting parts by which it can be connected to a vehicle body.
The holding tubes for the arms of the roll bar are supplemented by two connecting elements to form a rigid guide frame which is rectangularly closed. This rigid guide frame is unyielding even if a distortion of the vehicle bottom should occur and does not allow the holding tubes out of their position in which they are aligned with one another and with the arms of the roll bar. Consequently, a displacement of the roll bar within the holding tubes is possible at any time.
The rigid guide frame can, as a result of its rectangular form, be at least partially configured to have covering side walls in a cassette-like form, under which side walls a thrust element and a locking mechanism for the roll bar shall then likewise be disposed. This combination of the required elements is favorably fitted together in advance and secured within the vehicle as a complete modular unit. As a result, the subsequent fitting of a roll bar into a vehicle is also made simpler.
A simple mounting of the guide frame is assured by bolting the guide frame to the body, the guide frame being able to be secured with limited flexibility at its fastening points, for example via a rubber mounting in order that any distortion of the bottom will not overload the fastenings of the guide frame.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.